I didn't try to move as I regained consciousness. It wasn't the first time since the incident that I'd woken up like this. After the first few times I'd realized moving around only made the heavy rock around my neck pull harder at my strength. Staying still didn't seem to make it draw in nearly as much which meant I could stay awake longer. Not that it mattered how long I was awake or asleep. I was sure the council had decided to kill me. Alexander had been right. Not that it mattered.

Now all I could do was stare at the dingy grey bars of the cell. The familiarity of it wasn't lost on my aching mind. It was the same cell I had visited my very first day in Willow pack. It seemed fitting for it to be my last as well.

I closed my eyes and focused on Silas the way I had during my last few awakenings. For some reason no matter how hard I tried to find our link I couldn't. It was like all of my connections had been cut off. Probably due to the stupid ball and chain Henry had put on me.

"If you're trying to reach Brogan don't bother." Drakes amused tone didn't rile me up enough to bother opening my eyes again. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction of an acknowledgement.

"Devlin's witch is already blocking your connection. He'll be dead soon if he's not already and thanks to her crafting skills you will be as well."

I assumed he meant the necklace. That somehow she had crafted it to kill me. To be totally honest I was surprised that I wasn't dead already. The rebound from what I had tried to do to Drake was more than enough to have killed so how or why it hadn't I couldn't say.

I felt Drake move into the room. He crouched down near me but I kept my eyes closed until he grabbed my arm. I blinked trying to focus on the syringe in his hand. It looked familiar. I blinked again. Just as my vision cleared enough to realize the greenish clear liquid going into my arm was wolfsbane.

Some how I managed to coax out enough strength to react. I kicked his feet out from under him. He fell and the syringe ripped out of my arm along with him but it was too late. I could feel the searing pain already flowing up wards. The liquid was in.

Drake rolled back to his feet, grabbed the syringe from where I'd thrown it and stepped toward me again. He stopped short. His eyes widening in surprise and causing a sense of deja vu as he turned to look at something over his shoulder. He dropped a second later and Aaron appeared stepping around him. The air thickened with the stench of blood and I felt a heavy sense of relief as I watched it begin to pool around Drake's body.

Aaron didn't let my moment of relief last very long. He ripped the necklace off me tossing it aside like it was nothing. He went to my hands next, easily releasing them from the bind. He didn't release his grip on my arm. Instead he raised it to his mouth, his canines extended, and then ripped into it over the same spot where Drake had injected me.

I bit down hard on my cheek causing the taste of blood to fill my mouth just as the rest rushed out of my arm. I understood what he was doing and I was grateful for the help but it didn't stop the tears from burning in my eyes. Aaron pulled back and spit out a mixture of poison, saliva, and blood. He didn't take his eyes off of the steady stream flowing out of my arm for what felt like an eternity and when he finally did I almost wish he hadn't.

His eyes met mine I immediately knew what was next and I knew it would be even more painful than the poison and the bite. Still I jerked my head in a nod. It had to be done.

Aaron grabbed the rope that had been used to bind my hands. He made short work of adding a knot of his own. He slipped it onto my arm and with one quick jerk he pulled it tight.

My eyes burned again but the stream of blood pouring out from his bite slowed to almost nothing. My entire arm ached and shook with the loss of the flow.

Aaron scooped me up and carried me out of the cell. I didn't argue or try to even pretend like I would be able to walk. He was in too big of a hurry to argue with even if somehow I could.

We went into the woods, to a smaller house I had never come across before.

~What?~ I tried to ask but I had too many questions to focus on just one and Aaron was too intent to listen anyway. He shoved the door open. Matthew appeared at his side and I could feel others eyes on us even though I couldn't see them.

"Fix this now Matthew. The meetings in progress and we're going to lose our window any moment." Aaron said.

"What did he give her?" Matthew asked pulling things out of a bag as Aaron dropped me on the couch.

"Wolfsbane." Aaron answered.

Matthew produced a smaller less suspicious looking needle. He didn't tell me what it was. He just pinched and poked. A burning started in the leg he'd just stabbed but it faded out quickly along with a good portion of my other pain. He started in on my arm next.

"How much did you bleed her?" He asked while cleaning Aaron's bite mark.

"1.5, I didn't want to risk 2 in case she'd already lost some and that damn necklace." Aaron held his hand out toward Matthew for a second. I hadn't been able to see it before but now that it was right in front of me the burn was apparent and brutal looking.

"Clean that." Matthew said nodding toward the bag.

Surprisingly Aaron went to work almost immediately with Matthew's words.

A tugging sensation started in my arm and this time I didn't look. I knew Matthew was stitching up the worst of the bite and I wasn't in the best mental state to watch.

"Are you sure that's all? She looks faint." Matthew said.

"I didn't have a fucking measuring cup Matthew!" Aaron growled.

"It's the power drain not the blood loss. The crystal they used can be deadly if left on too long."

I jumped at the new voice near my head. A quick glance up showed that it was Logan which made me relax.

Then I tensed again remembering he was supposed to be with Silas.

~Where's Silas?~ I asked.

Logan shook his head.

"We were separated. He should be right behind me and he's going to be pissed when he hears about your little tantrum with Xane." Logan said.

I felt my forehead scrunch as I glared up at him.

A different tug at my arm pulled my attention away before I could question him any further. I'd never seen some get stitched up as fast Matthew had done just now but with one more solid tug the rope around my arm released and the blood began to flow back in.

I let out a silent groan and dropped my head back against the arm of the couch. The pain of getting the blood back felt just as bad as when it had stopped. Someone's fingers rubbed at my scalp and I opened my eyes again. I was surprised to find that the fingers belonged to Logan. Even as he glared down at me I could see the concern tugging at the corners of his eyes.

"Can you still do the spell?" Aaron asked.

"Aaron..." Matthew tried to object but I cut him off with an enthusiastic nod.

All I needed for the spell was time. If they could give me that I could do it. End of story.

"Good. Let's go." Aaron said reaching for me again.

"Aaron." Matthew said again as Logan smacked his hand away.

"We don't have time for this crap Matthew. If the council lives Rylan and I will be hunted until we're dead. Our children will be hunted. This shit ends now." Aaron said.

"If you keep pushing you could both die. Neither of you have the strength to withstand a fight right now." Matthew said.

"Then Logan will fight. All she needs to do is say the damn spell. She can use my magic." Aaron said as I pushed myself off of the couch.

I hoped that showing them I could walk would help convince them that I could do this. Instead I started to collapse after only a few steps. Logan was a step behind me and caught me before I could crash into the ground.

"God damn it. THIS is what I'm talking about!" Matthew yelled catching me by surprise. Matthew never yelled. "You're going to get her killed."

Indecision flickered in Aaron's eyes as he looked down at me until finally he shook his head.

"Just tell me what I need to do. I'll do it." He said.

~No.~ I said. No way was I letting him do this. Emily was due in a week. He has to be here for his baby and for her.

~I'm doing this with or without any of your help.~ I said.

"You do realize it's not just your life you're risking?" Logan asked.

~Silas understands the risks and he would want his nephew and our daughter to have the chance to grow up safe.~ I said.

Logan's jaw ticked and his eyes shot back to Aaron and then Matthew. He looked back to Aaron again and with a jerk of his chin we were on our way.



_____________________________________________________________________



"Where?" Logan asked as we crept on to the porch of the pack house.

I gestured to the porch implying that anywhere would do. I just had be here. Close enough that I could activate everything with a little energy and a lot of promises.

Logan set me down on the soft woof and Aaron crouched down next to me.

~You need to go.~ I told them.

They both shook their heads.

~You'll lose your wolves.~ I reminded them.

"And we'll get them back." Aaron said. "What do you need me to do?"

~Nothing. Just... don't let anyone interrupt the spell and don't touch me until the connections severed.~

I made eye contact with both of them, waiting for each to nod. They both seemed to understand how important it was for them not to touch me until the everything was finished.

I took a deep breath, placed my hands flat on the wood of the porch, and closed my eyes. I focused on the symbols that were drawn beneath the house. I focused on the air and the earth and the moonlight that surrounded us. I channeled each of the elements into their given symbols. Meticulously redrawing each one in my mind as I summoned forth the spell that I needed.

I could feel the faint clicks as I became linked to each of the werewolves inside and around me. I tried to pare down the radius of my reach. Focusing my energy inward. Deep inside the consciousness of each individual as I grasped the connections I needed to break. And just like running scissors over a rope I snapped the connections within.

I heard Aaron and Logan both inhale sharply as the connections severed.

A wave of exhaustion rolled through me and I slumped over against the railing.

"Is it done?" Aaron asked quietly.

I peeked out to find his hand over his chest and his slightly pale face staring at me with wide eyes.

I nodded. I could still feel the steady drain of power that said the connection hadn't yet worn off but that also meant I could feel the flames of panic taking root on the men in side as they began to realize their wolves were gone.

I'd done it.

A low and deadly growl sounded from inside snapping all of our attention toward the building.

No one in there should have their wolves back already. It was impossible.

"Fuck! Blake! Cut the link Rylan." Logan ordered.

I shook my head. It wasn't that simple. I couldn't cut the link to them the same way that I had severed the link to their wolves. It wasn't the same thing. It was more like a transition. It needed time. I needed time.

"Cut the link Rylan, Now!" Aaron echoed Logan as he seemed to catch on to what was going to happen.

I felt a sudden pressure and closed my eyes to try and pull myself free from the link. No matter how hard I pulled I couldn't just break the connection again. All I could seem to do was delay it. When the delay caught up to me though I could feel teeth sinking into me. They ripped and tore at me from what felt like every direction. I didn't even get a chance to scream before was choking on blood that wasn't even in my own mouth and then darkness engulfed me once again.